Old Enough To Die
by halfbloodprincess13
Summary: "I don't want your help; I want you safe"  Harry and Ginny fight after the Battle of Hogwarts.  Please R & R.


**Old Enough To Die**

"_I don't want your help; I want you safe"_

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><p><strong>Disclaimer: I'm not JKR, these are just her characters. Credit goes to Ministry of Magic for the title. Please R&amp;R.<strong>

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><p>Ginny was pacing back and forth in the Gryffindor common room. The rest of the Weasley family had left so that she could find Harry. <em>Oh Harry<em> she thought. _I've missed him so much this past year. We're not technically even together anymore. That lasted long…I hope he hasn't changed his mind._ _Wow, I'm being such a needy girl. _Hermione had just been down there with her. She told Ginny a snap shot of the events leading up to last night, the Battle of Hogwarts, and her big news; she had finally kissed Ron!_ About time…_ She seemed really happy despite the craziness of the end of the war and she was debating whether or not to go up to Ron's dorm and confront him about everything, which she eventually did, leaving Ginny downstairs thinking about Harry Potter. _Why can't I just go and find him?_ she thought. Ginny was usually very confident but not today. Where had her Gryffindor courage gone?

_Why can't he just come find me?_

And as if he was granting her wish, unknowing what he was walking into, Harry innocently wandered down the stairs and smiled sympathetically at her. She tried to fight back the blush that was quickly creeping up her neck to her pale, white cheeks. She was annoyed that he had this effect on her and even more annoyed at herself that she couldn't control it. Neither Dean nor Michael had that effect on her.

"I thought I'd leave those two alone" he said, pointing back up to his dorm. "I owe them that after what I've put them through."

"Hmm", was all Ginny could manage to murmur. She had longed to be alone with him but now that she was, she was overcome by anger and she couldn't exactly pinpoint why. She felt close to tears but she didn't want to cry in front of Harry. She did not want him to think she was weak. After all, he was "the boy who lived". Then suddenly, the penny dropped. Ginny realised that she was angry that he hadn't let her fight. _ I am strong and confident, and everyone knows I can hold my own. Why was he always trying to protect everyone?_

"This probably isn't a good time to fight with you."

"What?" Harry was clearly confused. Ginny forgot that Harry was not privy to the current inner monologue running through her head and that the statement was completely out of the blue to him.

"Sorry, I'm really angry with you but you've had a tough day. This isn't the right time." At least now he would be prepared for the forthcoming argument.

"Well I can't sleep… now. Not with this being… unresolved. At least…tell me what… I've… done." He could barely speak without yawning.

"Seriously, when was the last time you slept for longer than a few hours?"

"Second year…probably" he joked, but for all she knew, he could be telling the truth. "Come on, you can tell me anything, you know that."

"I don't want to get any angrier with you, so it's best to just leave it." She said trying to walk away, but Harry grabbed her by the arm, stopping her in her tracks.

"Please?"

"YOU DIDN'T LET ME FIGHT!" she shouted. The words leap out of her mouth, surprising her as it was louder than she expected. She hadn't planned on screaming at him, that was not the plan; it had just come out that way.

"Oh…"

"Yes, oh…Can I go now?" She tried to free her arm, but as Harry let go, he gave her a look that stopped her from moving. She had to stay.

"No, you've had your say and quite frankly I'd like to have mine, otherwise that's not fair."

"Let's not talk about what's fair! Fair would be letting me come with you in the first place. Just because I'm not old enough or not as smart as Hermione…"

"Well, no one is, so that's not a fair comparison. Anyway, you're very bright. Thing is, Dumbledore only let me tell Ron and Hermione. I couldn't even tell Remus or your parents. We have a lot to explain…" he said calmly, running his hands through his hair.

"Fair enough but earlier you wouldn't tell us anything. Can you at least tell us now?"

"I'm sure once everything has calmed down and after all the funerals, we can all sit down and tell the whole story, but I'll warn you now, it's complicated. It's a lot bigger than just me or you. Kingley has to know what happened so he can be Minister."

Ginny could see the worry in his bright green eyes. "It's just…" she was lost for words. She no longer had the energy to fight with him anymore and couldn't shake the feeling that someone might be listening in…probably Ron and Hermione from upstairs.

"I wanted to tell you. In a way, I wanted you along with me. It was painful not knowing how you were and what was going on at Hogwarts. I haven't seen you in nearly a year, I've missed you" he said taking her hand in his. Ginny was touched by his words.

"I've missed you, too" she replied, giving in to his embrace. "Wait, how did this happen? I'm still angry with you. I can't just let myself fall into your arms whenever…ergh!" She said, banging her fist against his chest as she fought back the tears that threatened to fall. He restrained her, gently and stroked her hair but she moved away, even though she didn't want to…

"You're right. Maybe this isn't a good time. We're both tired and in the morning…we'll see." He said.

She was scared of losing him. Dark circles were clear under his bloodshot eyes, but she couldn't let him go, not yet.

"I just wanted to HELP!"

"WELL MAYBE I DON'T WANT YOUR HELP; I WANT YOU SAFE!"

"You don't think I can handle myself is that it?"

"No one would pick a fight with you, but it doesn't mean I'm going to ask you to fight in the middle of a war. Skilled Aurors lost their lives! You lost your brother! It was incredibly dangerous out there. I couldn't bear to put you in danger."

As single tear broke free and ran down her cheek. "I'm not that little girl you saved in the Chamber of Secrets all those years ago! I've grown up." She had to stop herself from sounding too whiny.

"I know that it's just - I only did it because…

…because I love you!"

"What?" Ginny was taken completely by surprise and was dumbstruck.

"Sorry I didn't mean for it to come out that way."

Without thinking what she was doing, as if her limbs had a mind of their own, Ginny leaped at him and threw her arms around Harry's neck and kissed him.

"Well it's not like us to fight" said Ginny as she pulled back slightly. Even though it was their first fight she hoped it was their last. She planned to never let go.

"We're beginning to sound like Ron and Hermione." They both laughed. "Can I go to sleep now?" Harry joked and they fell asleep on the sofa, both exhausted.

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><p><strong>AN:** I'm not sure this is my best work, but I thought I'd put it up anyway. Please review, it's very helpful.

Thanks for reading, Aisling xxx


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